The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-24
PULPIT ELOQUENCB.
Some of the Noted Preachers Who
Have Been Brought to New York
Under Contract.

! Some of the Noted Preachers Who
| Have Been Brought to New York
! Under Contract
New YORK, Oct. 22.-The droll attempt
to apply the law prohibiting the ''importa-
ton of foreign contract labor" to the case
of an Episcopal clergyman brought from
| England under contract TO fill the place of
rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity,
reminds me of a curious change that has
| taken place in New York since the close of
the war One cannot help being astonished
at the number of leading clergymen in the
! city who have been brought over here from
abroad to fill the pulpits Of our fashionable
| churches. Take few facts In my boy
! hood, the leading clergyman Of the Episco-
pal denomination here was the Rev. DIR.
Tying, an American by birth; but now
that place is held by an Englishman of
recent immigration The leading clergy
man of the Presbyterian denomination was
the Rev. DR.. Spring, American by birth;
but now that place is held by the Rev. John
Hall, q Belfast Irishman, discovered by
Robert Bonner. The leading clergyman Of
the Congregationalist denomination was the
Rev DR.. Joseph Thompson, an American
by birth; but now the place is held by the
Rev. DR.. Taylor, Scotchman, brought
here as Mr.. Thompsons successor in the
Tabernacle The leading clergyman of the
Unitarian church was the Rev Dr. Bellows,
a born American; but now that place is held
by the Rev. Robert Collver, an Englishman
who came here some years ago. The leading
clergyman of the Dutch Reformed church
was the Rev. Dr. Nermilyea, of old Ameri
can stock, but now the place is held by the
Rev. DIR. Ormiston, large-headed Scotch
man who came to this country under CON
tract" The leading clergyman of the
Beecherite faith was its renowned founder,
Henry Ward Beecher; but now even Ply
mouth church has been DESTROYS of securing
the services of the Rev. Dr. Parker, of
England, as Mr.. Beecher's successor. If We
20 down from such famous men as those
just named to the lesser lights of the New
York pulpit, we find the change in the same
direction to be still more remarkable AL
most every year clergymen are brought
over from the British Isles for some of our
churches.
Why this dearth of acceptable clergymen
of American birth in these days, when they
used to be SO abundant in other times!
There is no such scarcity of ability and elo-
quence in politics o. the law as to compel us
to import supply from abroad why should
there be scarcity of talent i'll the pulpit!
We have plenty of theological schools for
training clergymen of all denominations
and several thousands of young theologians
who ought to be well equipped must be
OuJ lIOlll lliteill every year. u6 pIO-
fessors in these institutions cannot be less
competent than those in similar institutions
abroad, and it cannot be admitted that the
pupils are any way inferior to those who are
preparing for the clerical profession in
Great Britain. There is something incom-
prehensible in this business. The salaries
paid to the leading lights are large, and the
clergy enjoy many perquisites which highly
increase their emouments. Beside the
financial inducements the men of the cloth
enjoy a social standing, with opportunities
of winning fame, such as are not easily Sc
cured in other vocations.
l am not aware that the experience of
other American cities is like that of New
York in this matter, but any further discus
sion of the subject must be left to the re-
ligious papers, which ought to trace it to
roots and furnish us the bottom facts. We
ought surely to be able to supply our own
pulpit with all the talent that may be
needed. JOHN SWINToN.